“How much did you drink? Feels like there’s a hole in my stomach. Ugh.”

My stomach churned and my head throbbed as if it would split.

I tried pulling the blanket over my head to block out the morning sunlight, but it was no use.

Along with the nausea, I recalled what Nikolai had said last night.

“If you don’t want to go to Icetower Prison for lèse-majesté, accept the drink.”

“What an unusual way to threaten someone.”

“I’m showing mercy.”

“What are my other options?”

“There are none. It’s one of these two.”

“Why do you want to drink with me?”

“You don’t need to know the reason. Just choose – drink or prison.”

Just then, the guard knights placed their hands on their sword hilts, so I had no choice but to accept the champagne glass Nikolai offered.

Was it because it was top-quality champagne?

Or because I was possessed by Elizabeth, a wine lover?

The champagne was surprisingly delicious.

“I remember spinning around and falling over. I think I might have vomited too…”

I sniffed myself.

Fortunately, there was no smell of vomit on my body.

“Someone must have washed me. How can I ever thank them?”

“You should start with a thank you.”

At the familiar baritone voice right next to me, I whipped my head around.

On the huge bed, Nikolai sat up.

“Your Majesty?!”

The silk blanket slipped down smoothly.

His bare upper body was revealed.

His pectoral muscles were firm like leather armor, his abs delicately sculpted as if cut by a knife, assailing my eyes.

It was a rare spectacular view, but the hair all over my body stood on end.

“Why are you here, Your Majesty?”

“Is it strange for the emperor to be in the imperial palace?”

I looked around with wide eyes.

I saw a bed that was not just huge but grand, crystal chandeliers, famous paintings filling the ceiling.

I gaped at the lavishness that was rumored to be splendid, several dimensions higher than the Amster Mansion.

There was no way not to know that this was the imperial palace, and the emperor’s bedroom at that.

‘Ah, another cliché? The female lead waking up in an unfamiliar bed with a half-naked handsome man!’

With trembling hands, I lifted the blanket.

Fortunately, I wasn’t naked, but it wasn’t very reassuring either.

I was wearing a negligee as thin as butterfly wings.

I had seen a few similar ones in Elizabeth’s dressing room, but the design was so risqué that I never touched them!

‘Did this man dress me? He couldn’t have done it himself, right? There are plenty of maids…’

I rummaged through memories I thought were completely erased, and recalled a large, thick hand.

The man caressing me with a touch that was careful to the point of being reverent.

Through my blurry vision, I saw black hair falling and green eyes.

His cheeks were flushed red, his sensual lips tightly sealed with tension.

“Ahh…!”

Unlike me who was in despair, Nikolai flashed his white, even teeth.

“No need to be embarrassed. Haven’t we seen just about everything of each other?”

“Since when were we like that?”

“From last night until this morning.”

“!”

“Changing a woman’s clothes is quite a difficult task. But thanks to me, you slept well, didn’t you?”

Nikolai seemed cheerful.

If his gaze had been sticky or greedy, it would have been creepy, but Nikolai’s eyes sparkled with pure joy.

It was just as burdensome, but quite different from the decadent first impression he gave off.

‘Why is this man acting like this towards me?’

It was confusing.

Nikolai said with his own mouth that he was not seduced by me.

So why was he giving me such special treatment?

Because he was a playboy who couldn’t resist women?

That wasn’t it either.

I thought I had regained almost all my memories.

Nikolai had only taken care of me when I was dead drunk, he didn’t do anything else.

‘I’m the one who downed the drinks and got totally wasted. I wanted to live preserving my integrity and chastity. Not only did I stay out all night, I woke up in bed with a man I just met!’

I hung my head at my wanton behavior no different from the original Elizabeth.

Nikolai threw out a remark nonchalantly.

“No need to agonize over it. I’m the one who offered you the drink. I didn’t know you’d get drunk on three glasses of champagne though.”

“…”

“I ordered a carriage to be ready. Go back to the Amster Mansion.”

“Thank you for your consideration, Your Majesty.”

“Be more careful next time.”

The word ‘next time’ gripped my heart tightly then released it.

I wanted to ask what I should be careful of, but my lips that were stuck together wouldn’t part.

Suddenly, the fact that Nikolai and I were alone together on the bed became unbearably embarrassing.

Without realizing it, I touched my lips with my fingertips.

‘I had my first kiss with this man last night.’

My cheeks grew hot.

The sensation of an unfamiliar man remained on my lips like an indelible mark.

The heat and breath were the same.

Nikolai was not aroused even after receiving a sudden kiss.

He did not take advantage of me when I was out of my senses.

Furthermore, he said to be more careful next time.

The more I conversed with Nikolai, the more cracks appeared in the firm image of him as a Casanova tyrant.

‘He might be a better person than in the original. If he’s not a tyrant, maybe Claudia won’t start a revolution? Could I avoid the guillotine ending without seducing him?’

Just as a slight fondness was blossoming into new hope, Nikolai twisted the corner of his mouth.

“Hurry and enter the palace. I will prepare quarters for you in the harem.”

“What?”

“Why are you pretending not to know? You’re the one who suggested the game.”

“What game?”

“If you’re playing dumb, I won’t forgive you.”

Nikolai, frowning, came close.

My heart began beating erratically as I faced his excessively handsome face.

Thinking my memory had returned was a misconception.

I had no idea what this man was talking about.

“I’ll add fraud to lèse-majesté and exterminate your family, no, your entire clan.”

A chilling murderous intent pierced my whole body.

Nikolai was serious.

He also had the power to make it a reality.

‘He’s definitely a tyrant! No matter how you look at it, a tyrant!’

It was not the time to worry about saving face or pride.

Before Nikolai could show his villainous true colors, I pleaded with both hands.

“Who would dare to deceive Your Majesty? The alcohol made my memory, no, my film cut off!”

“…”

“Please tell me what game it is. Okay?”

He stared at me suspiciously, then spoke arrogantly as if bestowing a favor.

“The one who seduces the other first wins the game.”

“And you’re saying I suggested that nonsense?”

“Very confidently at that.”

“That’s ridiculous!”

“I agreed to it. On the condition that you enter the palace.”

“You should have refused!”

“Why would I? When an interesting plaything appeared.”

No matter how much of a class-based society it was, calling me a plaything was too much.

Toying with my life for fun?

I was about to explode, but Nikolai lowered his voice.

“You vomited on the emperor’s thighs and made the emperor bathe you. Did you think it would be free?”

A dark aura emanated from his entire body.

I knew if I defied him, I would be executed without a word.

Claudia hadn’t even appeared yet.

‘I came to seduce but only ate bitterness.’

I swallowed tears of regret.

Nikolai held out a sheet of high-quality paper.

The moment I received it, I sensed it wasn’t a simple document.

The paper was a contract, with unbelievable contents written on it.

1. Nikolai Rob Yevrey and Elizabeth Amster shall live together and seduce each other until a winner is determined.

2. Seduction methods shall not be restricted. However, violence, drugs, and other acts that violate universal laws are strictly prohibited.

3. Physical contact shall not be restricted.

4. The one who captures the other’s heart first shall be the victor, and the victor may demand anything of the loser.

5. The loser must unconditionally submit to the victor’s will and shall have no right to refuse.

Nikolai smiled. His smile was no longer boyishly innocent.

***

Nikolai gleefully observed Elizabeth’s reaction.

‘Her complexion turns blue then white in an instant. Sometimes she’s absurdly brazen, other times she acts like a frightened hamster. The fact that she’s unbearably fragrant remains unchanged though.’

He needed to verify if Elizabeth’s sweet scent was temporary or not.

He wanted to know why a human exuded the aroma of cherry blossoms and sweet berries, what the source of the scent was.

That was why he personally took care of her.

Surprisingly, Elizabeth’s body odor demonstrated a continuous and remarkable power in driving away the stench of underworld flowers.

Overnight, traces of the stench mysteriously vanished from the imperial quarters where Elizabeth stayed.

It was something even the finest perfumes, scented candles, and incense burners couldn’t do.

A mysterious and enigmatic woman.

Nikolai took in everything about Elizabeth as if to devour her with his eyes.

‘She’s desperate enough to use a childish game as an excuse. I must possess her, even if only until the scent disappears.’

Besides that purpose, Elizabeth was worth keeping by his side.

For one, her expressions and reactions were refreshing.

They completely deviated from decorum, but he was strangely delighted in a way that surprised even himself.

Had he already become intoxicated by her fragrance?

“This is void. It’s clearly a contract forcibly made when I wasn’t of sound mind and body!”

Elizabeth exploded.

Nikolai waved the contract.

Elizabeth’s small stamp fluttered as if greeting him.

“Are you reneging before the ink even dries?”

“Is there any proof that I suggested the seduction game?”

“Didn’t you say it was do or die? That the imperial palace would be much safer than the Amster Mansion.”

“…”

“You approached me first too, didn’t you? Since it came up, let me ask. Why did you try to seduce me?”

“…”

“Did you want to become empress like the rumors say? Starting as crown princess should be enough, so why do you dislike that?”

Elizabeth’s black eyes wavered.

Seeing her mumble with lips as small as a bird’s beak, it seemed a suitable excuse didn’t come to mind.

Elizabeth’s true intentions weren’t very important to Nikolai.

A useful and interesting woman. That was all she was.

He believed she would continue to be so, but matters between men and women were hard to guarantee.

“The contract says we live together, but there’s no clause about becoming crown princess!”

“If you want to be a maid, I won’t stop you. You’ll do menial work among the noble-born maids, but that’s not my concern.”

“I heard Your Majesty has dozens of crown princesses.”

“I don’t know the exact number. If you’re curious, enter the palace, count them yourself and let me know.”

Elizabeth’s pretty face contorted.

Nikolai realized he was teasing her more than necessary.

He didn’t know why he kept getting mischievous urges.

He had no experience with women or dating, but Nikolai was the emperor of a nation.

Even before ascending the throne, he learned to practice restraint and patience.

He turned a blind eye to his senses, or he couldn’t endure.

He also severed his emotions.

At some point, all the joys, angers, sorrows and pleasures a human might feel became foreign to him.

He didn’t regret it.

The only thing that weighed on his mind was that he had to pass on the cursed wolf to Crown Prince Franz.

‘It’s already been 6 years since I raised Finch as my son. I can’t believe the baby who was in Laila’s arms is already 10 years old.’

Nikolai had many secrets.

The fact that Crown Prince Franz was not his biological son was one of them.

There were those who doubted the blood relation upon seeing Franz’s dazzling blond hair.

Anyone who spoke of it was eliminated.

Franz was someone he had to protect even at the cost of his life.

Because he promised Laila, who shone like a star.

‘This woman may help me and Franz. It may be the first and last hope.’

Nikolai had no intention of letting Elizabeth go.

Since the emperor had made up his mind, there was virtually no way for her to escape.

“If you really hate it, you can terminate the contract.”

“Really?”

Elizabeth brightened as if she had come back to life.

Suddenly, anger surged within him.

‘She cried saying she wanted to live, that she didn’t want the guillotine. But she doesn’t remember any of it.’

Last night, Elizabeth shed hot tears while embraced in Nikolai’s arms.

Nikolai didn’t know how to soothe or comfort a crying woman.

All he could do was hold her as she wailed like a lost child in a strange place.

At first, he thought Elizabeth feared the punishment she would receive for lèse-majesté.

But that wasn’t it.

Elizabeth was gripped by the conviction that she would soon die, and that fear seemed to have tormented her for quite a long time.

‘What is she so afraid and sorrowful about? When she has dazzling beauty and inexhaustible wealth.’

Even people who had everything wanted to borrow alcohol to cry some days.

Everyone had sorrows that couldn’t be explained and weren’t explained.

Nikolai didn’t hastily make assumptions about Elizabeth’s heart.

It was because he believed one should do so regardless of status.

“I suggest you take a close look at the termination clause.”

Nikolai flipped the contract over.

On the back of the contract, there was tiny writing.

Elizabeth’s black eyes widened like ripe grapes.

“If unilaterally terminated… confiscate all assets and sell the family into slavery?!”

“You should have checked before stamping it. But even if you didn’t, nothing can be done.”

“You crafty bastard!”

“Watch your mouth, madam. Your husband is the emperor.”